FROM THE B-CASA PARENT NETWORK NEWSLETTER



FROM THE B-CASA PARENT NETWORK NEWSLETTER

KIDS IN CYBERSPACE – SPECIAL MIDDLE SCHOOL EDITION

As early as middle school, many pre-teens will tell you that their lifelines to each other and to the world at large are their computers and their cell phones (which, with texting, emailing and photo-sharing capabilities, function like mini-computers). Never in history have kids been more “connected.”

There are numerous benefits to this rampant electronic connectivity, including unprecedented access to information for research and the relatively inexpensive ability to stay in touch with friends and family around the world (or next door). But the perils of cyberspace are always lurking, ranging from internet predators and cyber bullying to a nearly addictive dependence on being electronically available and responsive. Technology allows children to instantly communicate with large groups of peers, often facilitating risky behavior. For example, one group of 8th graders across school districts told their parents they were going to a function at BHS, but instead made plans using various messaging technology to meet and hang out at a local park. And the same search engines like Google that offer lightning fast access to information on historical facts for a term paper also make it alarmingly easy to view porn or order prescription drugs without a prescription or learn “How to Grow Marijuana” (a search which yields 773,000 results in .13 seconds).

With new gadgets and inventive applications luring kids in every day, it’s hard for parents to keep up with a child’s technological habits. But here are some of the basics --

TEXTING – This is one of kids’ most common and basic technological tricks, using a cell phone’s keypad to send a written message to another’s phone. It can be a useful tool, but kids can spend far more time texting back and forth than is healthy, avoiding a more productive phone call or face to face. A cell phone plan with limited text minutes can be a useful limiting tactic.

SEXTING – The trend of sending sexually charged messages or photos (often of themselves or friends) via cell phone. Children often don’t consider the long-term consequences, such as legal issues (charges of child pornography) and possible leakage of photos into cyberspace, potentially ruining a subject’s reputation and causing grave emotional issues.

FACEBOOK and MYSPACE – The two most popular social networking sights allow kids to design their own personalized page on the Internet, much like an interactive scrapbook, that can include favorite music clips, photos, quotes and any other information about themselves – and anyone else – that they wish to include. Users can also set up blogs (online public journals), a friend network and message centers. Savvy kids can share a great deal of information online in just a few minutes, sometimes without appreciating the risks they may be taking when they do. (See FTC Guidelines below for information on what and how much is safe to share online.) These sites are not recommended for children under the age of 13.

INSTANT MESSAGING (AIM) – A form of real-time internet communication that allows a number of people to chat online simultaneously.

TWITTER – This phone-based application is a kind of micro-blogging (often by celebrities) that lets users send text messages of up to 160 characters to a network of “subscribers” updating what the sender is doing at any given time.

VIDEO CHATTING/SKYPE – many computers have cameras built in (Skype software facilitates this for PC’s) allowing students to see each other as they chat, which opens the door to a variety of sharing, both appropriate and inappropriate.

ONLINE VIDEO GAMING – some video game technology allows users to become part of a network of gamers and play video games and exchange information with people all around the world. While it’s an exciting ability, it can become an avenue for predators “grooming” a child over a period of time. Parents should caution their children not to give out personal information.

YOUTUBE – This video sharing website allows users to upload, view and share video clips with people around the world. It can be highly informative and entertaining, but the door is wide open for inappropriate posts (sometimes without the subject’s knowledge) and misuse.

ONLINE SAFETY GUIDELINES TO SHARE WITH YOUR KIDS

Middle schoolers often view the internet as a captivating new playground with boundless opportunities for communication, self-expression, fun and mischief. And though Facebook is not recommended for those under age 13, middle school students are flocking to the site. However, kids tend to be overconfident and naïve about online dangers, seldom stopping to think about the possible ramifications of their online activity, according to Brookline Police Officer Prentice Pilot, who teaches internet safety in the middle schools. Teens, and adults as well, should also be very careful with sites such as Craig’s List, being wary of giving out too much information and extremely cautious when meeting people to buy and sell directly. Kids tend to be very trusting and susceptible, so parents should be involved in transactions as much as possible to avoid predatory scams and swindles.

Officer Pilot believes parents should also have an active role in helping children navigate the tricky terrain of the internet, and has several basic recommendations to help keep younger internet users safe:

* Make a contract between you and your child about what is OK to do online and what is inappropriate/potentially harmful, including risqué photos and hurtful comments. Set time limits for online use.

* Address the issue of online bullying. Your child’s in-person behavior may not necessarily transfer to their online interactions. Make sure they understand the damage that hurtful comments can inflict on others. If someone is cyber bullying your child, have them stop interacting with the individual -- don’t talk to them at all. Seek help from a guidance counselor if the problem continues.

* Monitor your child’s internet habits. Ask him/her to show you what sites they visit. You can check this on your own by reviewing the “history” in your browser, the most recent “cookies” and “bookmarks/favorites.”

* Instill online caution in general. If a website asks you a question, don’t automatically answer it. Ask yourself, “Why am I being asked this? What do they really want?”

The Federal Trade Commision suggests these tips for socializing safely online:

* Consider restricting access to your page to a select group of people, for example, your friends from school, your club, your team, your community groups, or your family.

* Be cautious about posting information that could be used to identify you or locate you offline. In addition to full name, address, and phone number, this could include the name of your school, sports team, clubs, and where you work or hang out.

* Make sure your screen name doesn’t say too much about you. Don’t use your name, your age, or your hometown. Even if you think your screen name makes you anonymous, it doesn’t take a genius to combine clues to figure out who you are and where you can be found.

* Post only information that you are comfortable with others seeing — and knowing — about you. Many people can see your page, including your parents, your teachers, the police, the college you might want to apply to next year, or the job you might want to apply for in five years.

* Remember that once you post information online, you can’t take it back. Even if you delete the information from a site, older versions exist on other people’s computers.

* Consider not posting your photo. It can be altered and broadcast in ways you may not be happy about. If you do post one, ask yourself whether it’s one your mom would display in the living room.

* Flirting with strangers online could have serious consequences. Because some people lie about who they really are, you never really know who you’re dealing with. Be wary if a new online friend wants to meet you in person. If you feel threatened by someone or uncomfortable because of something online, tell an adult you trust and report it to the police and the social networking site. You could end up preventing someone else from becoming a victim.

THE DANGERS OF CYBER-BULLYING

By Clifton Jones, Brookline High School Guidance Counselor

In middle and high schools across the country, adolescents and teens are relying more and more on technology for their communication -- text messaging, AIM, e-mail. One of the most seductive online activities is social networking through sites like Facebook and MySpace. While there are many benefits of using social networking sites, some unsettling trends are starting to develop as well. One major concern is “cyber bullying.” Currently cyber bullying is most common in middle school and early high school. Rather than bullying in the playground or the classroom, many adolescents are using online tools to inflict harm on other students. Whether they use blogs, wall posts or pictures, much of the bullying is done from behind a computer screen. Unlike years past, bullying does not have to happen in person, and via the internet, hurtful material can be spread to an alarmingly wide audience.

One of the more typical methods is posting a message on someone else’s social networking page or create a group that is dedicated to cause distress to another individual. It is often easier for someone to hide behind a computer screen and type a myriad of hurtful, disrespectful or inappropriate messages without the fear of direct retaliation. On some of the networking sites, users have the ability to post a comment about another person without revealing their identity. One means of doing this is to use an “honesty box” which allows the poster to submit material anonymously. Vicious gossip can then be picked up and spread by anyone who reads the post, and bullying can become viral very quickly.

It is evident that social networking websites are here to stay and we must now educate younger generations about the dangers of the technology. Similar to monitoring the TV programming that is suitable for younger students, parents should also monitor the websites and the information that their children are posting on line. Over the past several years, guidance counselors at high schools such as Brookline High have educated 11th and 12th grade students about the dangers of posting sensitive information on the web because perspective employers and colleges have reviewed students online accounts for inappropriate information. Today, we must continue to expand the scope of issues that teens and adolescents will encounter with internet based technology. As technology becomes more advanced, we must become more savvy in our approach to these issues.

RESOURCES ON KIDS AND TECHNOLOGY There are numerous resources for more information on internet statistics, information and safety for teens. Here are a few:









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